Blogging the Latino Workforce

Tag Archives: small business

Adam Bluestein places a dollar figure on the need for comprehensive immigration reform – the most entrepreneurial group in America are not born here:

Despite accounting for only about 13 percent of the population, immigrants now start more than a quarter of new businesses in this country. Fast-growing ones, too–more than 20 percent of the 2014 Inc. 500 CEOs are immigrants. Immigrant-owned businesses pay an estimated $126 billion in wages per year, employing 1 in 10 Americans who work for private companies. In 2010, immigrant-owned businesses generated more than $775 billion in sales. If immigrant America were a stock, you’d be an idiot not to buy it.

Bluestein chronicles the experience of one Latina, Ruby Polanco, a Honduras-born entrepreneur who was brought to America as a child:

With her mother and two brothers, Polanco lived in Los Angeles, in a 300-square-foot apartment with no kitchen. School, she says, was “very hard on kids who didn’t speak English.” And the convoluted process of obtaining green cards–particularly challenging for immigrants from Central America–added to the family’s sense of insecurity. At 17, Polanco was a pregnant high school dropout, married to a man she’d divorce a year later.

Finally getting her green card, Polanco says, “changed my mentality. In my own crazy mind, I decided I wanted to make myself American, to make this country my country. After many years, I had the right to stay here.” Polanco got a job as a cashier at McDonald’s and eventually became a manager. After getting her GED, she attended community college, and later got a bachelor’s degree in business management.

Since founding a school for makeup artists in 2006, Polanco now has four locations in the Los Angeles area, revenue of more than $2 million, and about 45 employees. Polanco has also become a visible entrepreneurial presence in L.A.’s Hispanic community. “You give a Hispanic woman $5 and she’ll turn it into a million,” she says, “but not a lot of people are investing money and time on these young women.” Polanco hopes she can help other Hispanic women overcome an “illegal” mindset. “Even legal people here think very illegal,” she says. “They think they can only do business in their corner.”

Some cities like Boston are already providing “accelerator” programs to help international entrepreneurs establish themselves in the U.S.

A new chain of Mexican bakeries has opened in Los Angeles which adds an “upscale” twist to the traditional Mexican “panaderias.” Some see this as the continued gentrification occurring in parts of East Los Angeles, particularly Boyle Heights. The owner of La Monraca disagrees:

Some persons said the first store’s interior and ambiance was “too fancy” and might turn off customers, Cervantes said. He found such remarks offensive and also took issue with those who viewed the expansion of a Latino firm as a symbol of selling out or unwanted gentrification. Cervantes said Latino and other customers have appreciated the stylish interiors as well as the classic conchas, cuernitos and other Mexican baked goods.

“Nobody likes something that’s run down,” Cervantes said. “We are deserving of the best – just like everybody else.”

Hey, if the concept works for upscale Latino beers that taste like horchata, why not? However, I do like my pan dulce and panaderias a little messy – not perfect. The loud hustle and bustle of panaderias is part of the experience for me. But more power to Mr. Cervantes and his new venture. Yelp scores seem to be very positive. I’ll visit one next time I’m in L.A. – but hope it’s better than this review – I do love my tortas!

BuzzFeed News shines some light on how the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has been all talk and no action in efforts to increase the participation of Latino-owned businesses in the expenditure proposal process. According to BuzzFeed, a 2014 report revealed that only “1.7% of the $500 million the DNC spent on consulting went to businesses that are minority-owned or a minority principal.” Six months after the report, the DNC seems to be scrambling for explanations:

DNC spokesperson Rebecca Chalif said the meetings thus far have been to grow relationships for the future.

At the DNC we are always working to expand our relationships with minority owned businesses and will continue to look for new and innovative ways to bring more people from diverse backgrounds into the party,” she said in a statement. “We know that one of the Democratic Party’s greatest strength is our diversity and we work every day to ensure that the party’s business practices live up to our commitment to that principle.”

Great piece from the NYT on how more Latino agricultural workers are moving from working in the fields to managing agricultural businesses. Latino owned businesses grew 21% from 2007-2012. Sergio SIlva, a high school dropout, is profiled in the video below. With his 30+ years of industry management, Sergio partnered with someone who knew the product – and a new business was born. The new business serves as inspiration for those working in the fields for them today.

The impact of Latino entrepreneur ship can be found in the most unique places. Take Ottumwa, Iowa for instance. Located in southeastern Iowa, the town is home to about 25,000 residents. Like many Midwest towns, it has experienced a population decrease over the last few decades. As a result, Ottumwa has its share of vacant 1960s-era Main Street buildings.

While this town has seen a decrease in its overall population, Latino residents are on the rise. Along with this increase, there’s been a revitalization along Main Street. Many of the vacant buildings are now home to new businesses started by Latino entrepreneurs. Latino entrepreneurship in these areas is a national trend. Much of the credit can be given to people like Himar Hernandez, who works with small Latino businesses in the area. Watch the video below and see how Latino small businesses are breathing new life into old towns.